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SNL takes aim at Hagel Senate hearing

The SNL sketch, which was released by NBC, but didn't make it into Saturday night's televised show, takes aim at the GOP focus on Hagel's past comments on Israel during the hearing.

It kicks off by poking fun at Sen. Lindsey Graham's (R-S.C.) line of questioning on the mutual interests of Israel and the United States.

"[I]'m frankly troubled by some comments you've made in the press regarding our relationship with our closest ally, Israel. These comments trouble me, they trouble me. I find them troubling and am troubled by them," says the faux-Graham.

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Hagel, who Obama has nominated to be secretary of Defense, faced an onslaught of tough Republican questions during the hearing and delivered an uneven testimony, stumbling on some answers and at times misstating administration policy.

The SNL skit continues with fake Sens. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) pressing Hagel — portrayed by Jason Sudeikis — on his willingness to support Israel, while an imitated Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) repeatedly blames his Republican colleagues for "grandstanding" on the issue.

During the 5-minute spoof, the fake McCain asks Hagel if he would be willing to "perform oral sex on a donkey" if the survival of Israel depended on it.

"I don't think so," said Sudeikis as Hagel.

"Then, I regret to say Senator, I cannot support your confirmation," the SNL McCain said.

"The increasingly hard-left comedy show used the Hagel hearings to blast — wait for it — Republicans for loving the state of Israel too much. The sketch ... is not only painfully unfunny but more proof that the show has little interest in attacking anyone in the political realm with a "D" before his or her name," wrote Toto.

Writing for the conservative The Blaze, Mike Opelka, also took issue with the angle of the un-aired segment.

"The curious issue here — it was generally accepted on both sides of the aisle that Hagel’s performance in the Senate hearings was terrible," he wrote.

"But SNL writers seemed to think that the GOP senators who pressed the nominee on Israel were the problem."

Following the real hearing, Graham said he was “shocked” that Hagel didn’t have responses to many of the questions.

“I’m very reluctant to confirm somebody who I think is saying one thing one moment and something else [the next],” Graham said. “This is a pretty clear case of confirmation conversion.”